"Effective safeguarding of children is based on practitioners and front-line staff wanting the very best for children. They need to be ready to stand up in the best interests of children to enable collective responsibility for problem solving, even if this brings them into disagreement with other practitioners, with other organisations or with their own managers and employing bodies.

Escalating concerns about a child is an expected part of partnership working. There is often no right or wrong answer when it comes to safeguarding children and judgements and decisions should be made by way of robust challenge, discussion and debate about the most effective way forward to ensure the child receives the best possible outcome.

Children’s cases can only be successfully escalated or conflicts resolved if those involved are willing for that to happen and genuinely want resolution to be the outcome.

Below you will find a number of documents to assist you in dealing with a conflict that may arise."

- Cited from Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership